S4 E30 - March Reddit Special

 

In this episode, Colin and Jimmy answer recent questions from the Home Improvement forum on Reddit. In this very first Reddit Special, they answer the following questions:

Posted byu/Time2MakeITright: New Deck - Builder said going to set the posts in Cement - Need a complete deck rebuild about 400sqft rectangular. Was built before I moved in and definitely not to code and the posts are rotting at the footing. The deck is elevated about 5.5' The builder said that they use 6x6 posts in cement and set 18" deep (located southeast). Should I be looking elsewhere at a builder that anchors the posts on top of a concrete footing? Am I being over paranoid that the posts should be anchored to the top of a footing vs encased?

Posted byu/Barcelona847483: How often should you repaint exterior walls and re-stain decks? - We’re in a home that was built in 2016. Three sided brick but one side is cement siding. How often should you repaint the exterior walls, window trim, etc? Also, how often should decks be re-stained? Appreciate your input.

Posted byu/flinters17: New hardwood material arrived in fixed length, how to lay so it seems natural? - I recently received ~800 sqft of engineered hardwood which was supposed to be random lengths between 2' and 7.5'. It arrived and of the 6 boxes I have opened, all of the planks are 7.25'. The boxes are labeled "random length" but seem to not be. All from the same lot so I assume the rest is, as well. It looks amazing, but I can't help but feel like it will be very challenging to make the floor look natural without an obvious pattern. Of main concern is my hallway / living room which have a 33' length. Is this worth trying to return or should I keep it since fixed length seems to be more expensive anyway. Did I get lucky and not realize it? If I do keep it, how should I lay this out so that there are minimal patterns? Thank you!

Posted byu/Vdb111: Install vinyl plank flooring first or paint the walls and trims ? - I’ve been reading online and been seeing a lot of conflicting opinions. I’m getting rid of the carpet in my living room and installing new vinyl plank flooring. I also want to paint the living room since it’s on my list for past few months after I moved into my new home. What do you all think is the best way to go about it?

Posted byu/yelmar527: Painting walls after already painted professionally - I just moved into a home that was painted professionally before move in. The walls are clean & paint job is well done. However I hate the color. Do I need to clean, prime & paint again to repaint?

Posted byu/HoneyIShrunkTheTwins: Is concrete necessary to lay vinyl plank over tile? - What’s the reason for the concrete other than leveling the floor and is it necessary if the floor is already leveled?

Posted byu/TheCaIifornian: Should I be concerned that my contractor used Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive instead of thinset when placing ceiling mounted backsplash tiles? - We recently completed a whole home remodel, as part of it we have some kitchen backsplash that goes up on to the ceiling in the bay window. When our contractor was doing it, he said he decided to use Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive because it was easier than holding the tiles up until they adhered to the thinset. I just trusted that he knew what he was doing, but am now started to wonder if I should be concerned about the long term effectiveness of it after finding a few other spots where the fit, and finish wasn’t quite up to my expectations.

Posted byu/HolySchnike222: Sunroom / Bracewall Advice - Looking to add a 15’x15’ sunroom on the corner of our home that is internal to the footprint/ roofline. Currently this space is a covered patio that we plan to add a deck and enclose. Local building department is advising that I will need 18” bracewall/ sheathed floor to ceiling vertical sections on the two exterior walls. How do other sunrooms meet code while still achieving wall-to-wall windows?

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Home Improvement, Podcast, DIY, Producer PicksColin ShawBehind the Studs Podcasthome improvement, remodeling, homeowners, framing